Consumed by the Dark
by Bender110
Summary: A journey through the waking memories of a Draenei Death Knight as he is tortured and converted by the Lich King. Will he ever see his beloved friends again...?


**Consumed by the Dark - Baldish**

_**Acherus, the Specter of Death**_

_**Death Knight Conversion Chamber**_

_**Above the Ruins of the Scarlet Enclave…**_

* * *

Thoughts tore through his mind as he made an attempt to force himself awake once again, to see the Light that he so desperately needed at this moment.

_Light…_ he thought as he once again descended into madness. _Not just any Light…HER Light…soft…and…_

An image flashed across his mind…a face, a distant memory, and a great longing. He knew this face, ocean blue like the rest of her people, but with silky dark brown hair that flowed down past her shoulders and a pair of horns swept back in small curls.

A violet headband was secured across her forehead and her glowing eyes stared at him.

Through him.

A slight smile crossed her lips, and he felt as though he could lose himself in this face.

"_I want to talk to you again…and say thank you…for saving us…for saving me…"_ she spoke faintly as though she would fade away at any moment.

_Who is she?_

A name was all he needed. He concentrated harder than he ever had before.

_A...Al…Alysh…_

The memory was ripped from his grasp and he made another desperate attempt to retrieve it, to remember her name. Each time he did this, his conscience was pushed down by the dark, hateful presence that tortured his mind and held him away from his memories… away from HER.

_And yet I can do nothing to resist…by the Light of the Naaru…how could you abandon me…?_

"_OBEY ME AND YOU MAY YET SEE HER AGAIN" _the voice bellowed in his mind. The voice of death.

A familiar voice.

Another memory crossed into his sight. A memory of a time when everything was so much…_brighter…_

* * *

_**Temple of Tel-Hamat**_

_**Shattrath, Draenei Holy City**_

_**Exarch Coronation Room…**_

Baldish could barely contain his anticipation enough to walk with a steady stride along his comrades.

His friends…his only family.

_Restraint_. _Submission. Patience. Such is the Prophet's Decree. _He thought fiercely, forcing himself to remain calm despite the great sense of pride rising within his chest.

Shafts of light emanated from a massive glowing being in the center of the Temple with high walls arching above his head. A chorus of pleasant chimes sounded in his ears as they drew nearer to this light.

"_Welcome to the Temple of Tel-Hamat, champions. Approach, and kneel before the Light as a show of submission…and acceptance of your charges."_ The words chimed in his mind as A'Dal spoke.

Not once in his entire one-hundred and fifty three year life had he imagined himself walking up these steps and kneeling before the Great Light, A'Dal, and the Council of Elders.

Much less doing so with the ones closest to him.

He had done it.

THEY had done it.

Together, they had risen through the ranks of the initiates, adepts, experts, and eventually mastered their individual specialties.

They had proven themselves countless times in battle as they fled from the Lost Homeworld, Argus, saved thousands of innocent lives from the wrath of the Burning Legion, and led these survivors to Draenor.

And as they approached A'Dal, the chimes seemed to speak of pride above all else, as though it was an honor to bestow this gift to them.

Baldish drew the greatsword _Repentance _from the sheath on his back and kneeled down, extending the blade towards the light before him as it began to shimmer and glow.

He chanced a glance to his left and saw the kneeling figures of Lumora, a paladin much like himself but greatly gifted in the ways of healing and her sister, Lenarii, an equally gifted Holy priestess.

He shifted his vision to his right and saw the face of Alyshza, also a Holy priestess, gently smiling back at him as she presented her staff to A'Dal.

He had been blessed by so many things in his life, from his closest friends to his narrow escapes from the clutches of death…

But above all, he had been blessed by having Alyshza at his side, to be able to see her smile and have her as a close friend through the darkest times…

…and now, as a partner for the brightest of times in their future.

This moment would not have been possible without them. His life would have ended long ago were it not for their friendship, prowess in battle, and incredible abilities at his side.

And he knew they felt the same.

The light seared and Baldish once again felt the weight of _Repentance_ in his arms as he rose and turned to face the Elder Council.

"We now bestow upon these champions the title of Exarch in honor of their unwavering courage and devotion to serve in our times of need." Velen raised his hands in reverence. "Hail, Exarch Baldish, Exarch Lenarii, Exarch Lumora, and Exarch Alyshza!"

The chorus of chimes and cheers rained around them as Draenei and Naaru alike rejoiced and praised the rise of the new leaders, the Champions of the Light, the Exarchs of Shattrath.

They exchanged glances before sheathing their Light-touched weapons and turning to step down the stairs once again, hearts filled with a great sense of accomplishment and pride.

* * *

"_IT COULD BE YOURS AGAIN, YOU KNOW…" _the cold voice roared in his head.

"_THE PRIDE…THE GLORY…IMAGINE IT, EVERYTHING YOU COULD EVER WANT AND MORE…DO YOU NOT WANT TO SEE THEM AGAIN? YOU SEEMED SO HAPPY EVERYTIME THEY SMILED AT YOU…EVERYTIME THEY STOOD BESIDE YOU AT THE END OF A BATTLE. JOIN ME AND IT SHALL BE SO."_

More images of his dearest friends flashed across his mind and his heart twisted with grief at the torture.

Names…and faces.

_That is all I have left of them! For all I know, they perished, along with all the others. Why should I believe you!?_

"_THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT, IS IT NOT? I AM MERELY OFFERING YOU A CHOICE. PERHAPS ANOTHER…DEMONSTRATION…IS IN ORDER."_

* * *

_**Temple of Al-Shareth (now the Black Temple)**_

_**Exodar Launching Platform**_

_**Moments after the Sundering, tearing the majority of the planet Draenor apart…**_

As the initial shock that he was still breathing passed, panic invaded his heart.

_Where ARE they!?_

Baldish was running through the temple of Al-Shareth, home of the Exarchs in search of the others when he heard a massive explosion and a sound that resembled a great beast roaring.

A prayer to the Light was all he had managed to gasp before he was struck to the ground and lost consciousness.

Awaking to a rubble pile was the last thing he expected and thanked the Light for the protective holy shield. He felt slightly weakened, as he always did after using such power, but rose nonetheless.

He turned in time to see a giant battleaxe fill his vision and the snarl on the face of the Orc wielder; his eyes were narrow with hatred and bloodlust.

Suddenly, the Orc writhed in agony and dropped his weapon, enveloped in a column of light that seared his flesh and left nothing but a pile of ash.

Baldish retrieved _Repentance _from the rubble and sprinted to the outskirts of the temple. Screams echoed through the halls and corridors as he exited the temple and beheld the horrid scene before him.

_My brothers and sisters…_

The sky was stained a deep red as the atmosphere shredded itself to nothingness and Draenei and Orc corpses were strewn across the courtyard. There must have been hundreds…perhaps thousands.

Baldish tore his eyes from the gruesome scene and ran towards the sounds of battle.

The sight of the great Crystalship_ Exodar _rose in the distance.

Clashing weapons.

Muffled screams and guttural roars of triumph.

As he rounded the corner of the Temple, the Light gave him a sense of danger. He whirled the greatsword and impaled an Orc before drawing it out and cleaving clean through the torso of another assailant.

The scattered remains of the Temple Guardians held the line against the onslaught of the Orcish Horde, buying precious time as survivors crowded up the ramp and into the spacecraft.

They needed more time.

And they had none.

So he would give it to them.

Baldish charged into the wave of savage attackers, cutting through foe after foe and trying his best to heal his wounds.

_Just a bit longer…for Draenor…for my friends…_

Suddenly, a burst of energy filled him and he felt the wounds melt away. The touch of the Light seemed familiar, and he rounded to see Alyshza and Lenarii standing with their arms raised to the heavens, chanting a powerful prayer in unison.

"Talor, ne za, safin dornu kei!"_ Rise, and fight once more, brothers and sisters! _They sang over and over.

The fallen Draenei soldiers around them rose in columns of light and once again began their retreat towards the _Exodar_, fighting off waves of attackers as they went.

Baldish flashed his friends a grateful smile before confusion crossed him. "What of Lumora? Is she-"

"She is already onboard the _Exodar_, come, we have no time! Draenor is tearing itself apart!" Lenarii exclaimed and ran for the ramp of the Crystalship, Baldish and Alyshza following close behind.

They had reached the ramp and escorted the last of the survivors onboard when a great rumbling and another explosion tore the earth apart, throwing a surge of emerald magma several hundred feet into the air before settling on the ruins of the temple.

As the _Exodar_ pulled away from the devastated planet and rose further away from the temple ruins, Baldish strode to the window of the command bridge and took one last look at the remains of their home, a charred, twisted reflection of its former glory.

The home they fought and suffered for.

The home they would never return to.

He felt a slight pressure on his shoulderguard as he closed his eyes in grief and didn't need to open them to see who it was.

Only one person in his life would have been bold or…caring… enough to approach him like that.

Alyshza's calm voice spoke in a gentle tone. "We did all we could-"

"And it wasn't enough." Baldish interrupted, sighing as he turned to her, his face etched with sorrow. A hurt expression crossed her eyes but her hand never left his shoulder.

"We escaped with as many as we could. Our friends are alive, and right now, that's all that matters. We'll figure something out…" Her eyes widened slightly in fear as she said this. "Lum!" she suddenly cried out before turning and sprinting down the hallway.

Concerned, Baldish started after her at a slightly slower pace.

He eventually found his way into the infirmary, deep within the confines of the ship, and discovered a scene of controlled chaos. The large room was bathed in a soft pink light from the crystals and healers were dashing about; tending to the wounded while others transported the newly healed to the resting chambers.

Baldish entered said chambers and a set of voices caught his attention.

"You worry…too much, Aly." Lumora was lying on a sleeping cot and spoke as though she was on the verge of passing out, but still managed to maintain a soft glow around her hands as she treated her own wounds. Her gold and silver Exarch armor was sitting on the floor, badly bent out of shape and her chest was wrapped in clean white cloth. "I'm fine, really…"

"No, you're not." Alyshza insisted. "You're exhausted, and you need to rest." She reached forward and pressed her palm to Lumora's forehead, passing a trademark Gift of the Naaru to her friend.

That was all the convincing she needed. Lumora let her eyes drift closed, sighing in comfort as the glow faded from her hands and she fell into a deep sleep.

"And…thank you, my friend…for saving my life…" Alyshza added after a few seconds, still sitting beside Lumora.

A solemn Lenarii walked up and knelt beside her sister as Baldish let himself sit down on the cot next to Lumora's, still trying to take in all that had happened.

"What happened out there? All I remember was her scream…" Lenarii asked thoughtfully. "And…all the others."

Alyshza simply shook her head and let a tear fall onto the soft bedding. "I don't know how, but one of those…monsters…managed to get close to us…too close for me to protect myself, and I saw Lum step between me and the axe…a-and…" she let out a faint sob. "And she fell…"

Baldish took the chance to speak. "She will recover with time… we all know her strength." he consoled her in a caring voice before continuing. "But right now we need to let her rest and figure out where we're going from here. Velen requested that we meet with him in the Elder Chambers as soon as possible."

A reluctant Lenarii and Alyshza glanced at him before nodding slowly and following him out of the infirmary.

He silently thanked the Light for blessing them with an escape…even if it had come at a terrible cost.

* * *

"_DO YOU REMEMBER THAT FEELING OF SECURITY, KNOWING THAT ALL YOUR FRIENDS ARE ALIVE AND SAFE? IT MUST BE SO DISTANT. GIVE IN…AND YOU WILL __KNOW RELEASE FROM FEAR."_

His body convulsed and he felt an awful pit form in his stomach.

_Why…why do I believe…NO! _The sudden realization hit Baldish with enough force to push aside this overwhelming dark presence, and he screamed his thoughts in retort. _They…they're gone! YOU took them! You're lying to me…I will never see them again, and you would use this weakness against me!? I WILL NEVER SUCCUMB TO YOU OR YOUR DARK LIES!_

"_SILENCE!" _The presence overwhelmed him, forcing him into submission once again. _"YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME? VERY WELL! I WILL SHOW YOU THAT THEY ARE INDEED ALIVE, AND YOU MAY SEE THEM AGAIN…IN EXCHANGE FOR A SIMPLE PROMISE. MAKE YOUR CHOICE…_

His thoughts blurred once again and another memory flashed before him.

* * *

_**Light's Hope Chapel**_

_**Eastern Plaguelands**_

_**Three days after the arrival of Acherus, the Specter of Death…**_

His vision cleared and he stared up into the face of Alyshza for the second time that day.

That horrible, bloody, dark day.

They had lost.

In truth, Baldish couldn't decide if he should feel disappointed or…relieved.

So much had happened in the last few years…his people's arrival to Azeroth from Draenor, the subsequent return to Draenor and defeat of the Betrayer, Illidan, and finally the outbreak of the War.

He had come to know so many new faces since then. Among them were Larxenee, an incredibly powerful battle-mage and Phyto, a marksman of rare talent and deadly precision. He and his closest companions had been together through everything, and even now, he couldn't help but feel as though it was HIS fault.

He was lying on his back in the open field near the Scarlet Enclave.

They had been fighting for three days against the unending legions of the Scourge in an attempt to protect the Chapel…

And they had lost.

A retreat had been ordered and now their only concern was returning to the Light's Hope Chapel.

_Easier said than done…_he mused to himself.

He managed to turn his head and watch as another wave of Scourge closed in on them, along with dark warriors clad in ebony armor and wielding runeblades of power.

Death Knights.

Multiple arrows and fireballs soared past Alyshza's head and annihilated what remained of the enemies as she focused on healing his wounds enough for him to be able to walk.

"ALY! DISH!" Lenarii's desperate cry came from across the field. Lumora held her sister close as they struggled towards the Chapel gates. Lenarii clutched her side and a trickle of blue blood seeped through the gash in her robes. "There are too many of them! We have to get back to the Chapel, NOW!"

Other paladins and priests of all different races were already running from the battlefield in full retreat, many falling as the undead minions overtook them.

Alyshza looked back to Baldish and helped him stand. He leaned heavily on her, but as always, she remained strong and helped him as they raced for the gates.

"Get down!" A voice suddenly called from in front of them.

He looked up and saw Larxenee fully prepared to cast a spell, the tremendous energy crackling between her fingertips. They ducked and a thin line of pure arcane energy shot from her outstretched hands, barely grazing their heads. He turned in time to witness the energy strike the middle of the undead soldiers.

For a few seconds, nothing but silence.

Baldish forced his eyes shut as an immense explosion echoed through the valley and the very fabric of space shifted and ripped apart around the enemy forces, vaporizing them instantly and tearing through the earth beneath them. As the air cleared and the spatial rift closed, a large crater was all that remained the attackers.

Larxenee disappeared in a flash of purple energy and reappeared near the entrance to the Chapel grounds.

"Come ON!" Lenarii yelled once again before being forced to run as three ghouls chased after her and Lumora.

Baldish and Alyshza broke into a sprint, but they were too far from the Chapel grounds.

They had fallen behind.

And they both knew it.

A scream filled his ears and Baldish turned in time to see Alyshza fall. A dark energy closed around her body and began to drag her towards the Scourge death knights.

_Repentance_ seared with holy light as Baldish brought it down on the black tendril in a mighty swing, severing it instantly and freeing her.

"I…I can't move!" She yelled. He knelt next to her and deflected another dark hand that surged towards them.

At this moment, he realized there was, indeed, no alternative.

She was too weak to stand and Baldish barely had the strength to remain conscious.

He would do anything to keep his friends safe…to keep HER safe.

_If that means being captured by the Scourge in their place…so be it_ he thought firmly.

"I'm sending you back to the Chapel." Baldish said quietly, soothingly. "Tell the others to continue the retreat… Uther may yet have a solution for the Scourge."

Alyshza's eyes widened in fear. "W-what? No! We- I'M not leaving you behind—"

"This is not a decision, Alyshza, there is no other way." he interrupted, dropping _Repentance_ at his side and cupping her cheeks in his palms. "We will all survive this…as prisoners or as victors, I cannot say which. But we WILL survive." He took a deep breath.

From her prone position, Alyshza looked up at him with gentle, loving eyes that brimmed with tears.

Sorrow filled his heart as Baldish bent closer and mouthed the words _"Never forget the Oath, lest we forget ourselves", _initiating the Exarch's Sacrifice spell, which would return the person who spoke the other half of the prayer to the Chapel.

Her tears leaked over and onto her face as she mouthed back _"Such is the Exarch's Sacrifice…until next we meet", _completing the short spell.

Her body glowed in a bright light before melting away.

He looked up as the tip of a runeblade filled his vision. A dark blast shot from the end and gripped him tightly, crushing his body and spirit.

_At least she's safe…thank you, Light, for granting me this final blessing…_ he thought as the darkness consumed him.

* * *

A sudden relief flowed through Baldish.

They were alive.

SHE was alive.

And that meant that he still had a hope.

"_DO YOU ACCEPT OR DECLINE MY OFFER? SERVE ME AS A GREAT CHAMPION OR BE TORN APART BY THE FORCES OF DARKNESS. THERE IS NO ESCAPE. MAKE YOUR CHOICE. NOW!"_

Unbearable pain shot through his mind and as he weighed his options.

If he took the offer, he would be turned into a Death Knight and forced to serve the Lich King

However, this meant another chance to see his beloved friends once again.

If he declined, there would be no chance at all…and so he made his decision.

_I accept…my lord…_ he finally gave in.

"_EXCELLENT. VAROS, PREPARE THIS ONE FOR CONVERSION."_

He would give anything, his very soul if need be, for another chance to see them again.

To see HER again.

_Alyshza…I'm so sorry…_


End file.
